Read about the life and work of the Attingham Wardens

Attingham Park is a National Trust property comprising of an 18th Century mansion set in a Repton landscape; the Park and wider Estate includes a deer park, walled garden, several miles of the rivers Severn and Tern, extensive farmland and woodlands.

Sunday, 8 November 2015

If you have been to Attingham recently you will have seen that the Parkland Restoration project has begun around the Mile Walk pleasure grounds. This project will see the grounds restored to their original plan with more flowering shrubs and attractive plantings. One of the first steps is to remove some of the self-seeded trees that have been allowed to grow over the last few decades in order to make room for the plantings and to give light and space to the woodland floor and other trees. The wardens have been helping by collecting up the felled timber with the tractor and forwarder and taking the thinnings away to season.

The Woodland Walk

Another current project for us is to resurface the Woodland Walk. This path is very narrow in places, bumpy with roots and stumps and in winter it gets extremely wet and muddy. To make the walk more accessible for all we are widening it slightly and creating a smoother, drier surface so that trampers and all-terrain pushchairs will be able to use it more comfortably. Last week we took out several small trees to allow the path to be widened (and allow access for the machinery that will be used to lay the new path), leaving high stumps so that the diggers can pull up the roots. We hope to get this path finished before Christmas so look out for signs at Visitor Reception which will let you know when the walk is closed while we work.

The rut is officially over in the deer park and we have started to feed the herd to help them put on a bit of weight before winter. They are fed on fodder beet, hay and 'nuts' to keep them in tiptop health, plus special licks are provided to top up mineral levels. We will start to feed at 2pm every weekend in front of the public from Saturday 14th November so bring your cameras! As usual, we ask that you keep on the path and do not approach the deer in case they are spooked and bolt, and of course keep dogs on a very short lead.

One of the bucks tucking in to his fodder beet

The hedgelaying team continue along the lane, despite some grey and drizzly days - thank goodness for tea and biscuits!It's a very satisfying job when you can look at a finished stretch like this:

A lovely bit of midland-bullock hedgelaying! (Photo by Terry Carr)

Last week we hosted Mad Jack's 5 off-road race which meant more than a day of preparation by our team to clear the route, check the stiles, put up the ropes and handrail to help competitors through and out of the pond and assist with the marking out of the 5 mile route. Colin checked the route again first thing on race day and then the weekend team helped to marshal and clear up afterwards. Despite an awful downpour at the start of the day the sun came out as we ran and I think the 400-odd runners had a brilliant time!

Marking out the race route - someone had to do it... (Photo by Jess Foster)